A multi-directional input apparatus of this type called joystick comprises a case secured on a board, a set of upper and lower turning members having long holes each extending in a direction perpendicular to the turning direction, an operating member passing through the long holes of the set of upper and lower turning members for turning the turning members by operating the operating member in an arbitrary circumferential direction, a spring compressed and accommodated in the case for resiliently holding the operating member in its neutral position, and a set of signal output means for outputting a signal corresponding to the turning angle of each the turning member.
As the set of signal output means, a volume such as an electric sensor, a magnetic sensor, optical sensor or the like is used, and the volume is relatively commonly used in terms of costs and the like. Multi-directional input apparatuses using the volume as the set of signal output means are described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. S61-198286, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. H6-43963, and Japanese Utility Model Publication No. H7-27608.
However, the conventional multi-directional input apparatus using the volume as the one set of signal output means has the following problems.
Although the volume is inexpensive as compared with other signal output means, the volume requires a large number of parts (usually five parts), a rate of cost occupied by the volume in the multi-directional input apparatus is still high. Further, since it is necessary to use solder between the multi-directional input apparatus and a board onto which the multi-directional input apparatus is mounted, this increases the manufacturing cost of equipment which uses the multi-directional input apparatus.
The present invention has been accomplished in view of these circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a volume-integral type multi-directional input apparatus in which the number of parts is small and a board can be mounted easily.